


You Are Already

by TransCharlieKelly



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: AU, Dennis is a Bastard Man, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, One-sided Mac McDonald/Dennis Reynolds, Teen Angst, Trans Charlie Kelly, Underage Drug Use, Underage Smoking, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-09 14:07:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20996051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TransCharlieKelly/pseuds/TransCharlieKelly
Summary: What would happen if The Gang met under different pretenses? What if Mac had explored his identity during High School?Charlie Kelly, a trans dude just trying to survive high school, finally makes friends when he meets one of his classmates, Mac McDonald, in a queer support group. Mac isn't out yet, but maybe Charlie can help with in due time.I'll be updating tags as the story progresses. While it will initially begin with them in HS, it's meant to continue on to current times.





	You Are Already

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy coming out day <3

Charlie stared out the window of the car as his mom pulled up to an unfamiliar church. He sighed and began unbuckling, ready to hop out. Mrs. Kelly wouldn’t let him go that easy though, and pulled him into a tight hug.

“I love you,” she murmured into the shoulder of his jacket.

“Love you too,” he grumbled, patting her back.

“Be safe, I’ll wait out here for you, ok?”

“Okay mom, I-“

He was squeezed tight enough that the air escaped him. He didn’t want to be here, but knew it helped his mom, at the very least.

“Listen, I’m going to go okay? I’ll see you, alright?”

She nodded at his words and released him.

The teen strolled into the church a bit intimidated by it all. He wasn’t sure what to expect with this _support group_, but knew it would at least ease his mom’s fears. The minute Charlie had come out to his mom as a trans man, she freaked out. But she was supportive, there was at least that. So, she found some religious support group for _queer_ youths. Charlie still was on edge with that word, queer. He didn’t want to have pride or be seen as different. He was just a young man, not unlike those in his classes. Wasn’t his fault the doctors fucked up and declared him something else.

“You’re going to go down the hallway to your right, then turn left and there should be a door-“ Charlie half heartedly listened to a woman prattle on with directions to the group’s location. He nodded and thanked her before working his way further into the church. He slowly entered a room which had a pastor and a ring of folding chairs occupied by a collection of different Philly teens. The light in the room flickered and nobody held a smile (besides the pastor). Heads turned as Charlie entered and took his own seat.

“Alright everyone,” the pastor began. “We’re going to begin in five minutes. Feel free to talk to those around you and get to know each other!”

There were many empty seats still and Charlie had nested himself between two empty ones. He didn’t feel the need to change seats to get a partner to talk to. He didn’t want to be there.

“Hey, this meeting start yet?”

Everyone’s heads turned to the door once again, where a familiar face gravitated inward. Charlie could be mistaken, but the person very much resembled one of his classmates. Their eyes caught and the they both looked away nervously. Nobody really spoke for the remaining five minutes.

“Well, lets kick this off,” the pastor finally announced, clapping his hands together. “Before we do though, lets remember that what is said in this group stays here. Now, lets introduce ourselves; Names, pronouns, and why you’re here.”

Everyone was rather shy to introduce themselves, of course. Their reasons were mostly to make friends or to try to understand themselves. Then it was the familiar face’s turn to talk.

“Hi, I’m- uh- Mac. My pronouns are he and him. I’m desperately in love with my best friend and don’t know what the fuck to do.”

Charlie’s eyes met with Mac’s again and Charlie realized where he knew the other from: homeroom. The two were in class together. Mac, or Ronald, always sat in the back with Dennis Reynolds. _Holy shit_.

“Charlie Kelly,” Charlie began when it was his turn. “He/Him. I just came out to my mom as trans and she thinks me being here is going to help me or some shit.”

There were a few more introductions during which Mac and Charlie found themselves glancing over at each other, both always looking away awkwardly. Charlie didn’t give a shit if Mac told others or not, but Mac seemed nervous.

“Alright,” the leader of the group turned attention to himself again. “Let’s talk about our identities and what it means to be us. I myself am a cis man, meaning I was born a male and identify with that…” Charlie didn’t listen to the rest of the man’s speech about who he was and what he identified as. He went mostly on autopilot for the remainder of the meeting, spending more time listening to internal dialogue about how he’d handle being out at school once Mac told everyone.

“I’m a cis man, I guess?” It was Mac’s turn at speaking again, which brought Charlie back. “I’m still new to…” He gave a vague gesture, “all of this. I’m gay though. Like super gay.” Charlie gave a soft chuckle to that, then went back in his mind again once Mac had finished.

Even though it was only an hour long meeting, it seemed to Charlie as though it were much longer. He didn’t give much input in conversations and was mostly just lost in his own thoughts. When time was called, he was one of the first to jump up and fold his chair to be put away. He ran away from it all, right back to his mom’s car.

Mrs. Kelly sat in her card fidgeting, obviously waiting for Charlie to be out. He jumped in the car and snapped on his seatbelt while his mom leaned over and kissed his cheek.

“Not too bad?”

“It was… Okay.”

Charlie fell silent as his mom started the car. He watched out the window as everyone else made their ways to their own respective cars. As they pulled out of the parking lot and into the intersection, his eyes caught sight of Mac. Instead of going to a car, he seemed to be walking back home.


End file.
